Carter calls for funding Palestinians - Jerusalem Post 1/26/06

[Coastie for Truth]

A day after Hamas swept to an upset victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, former US President Jimmy Carter on Thursday said that Wednesday's voting had been orderly and fair.

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"The Palestinian Government is destitute, and in desperate financial straits. I hope that support for the new government will be forthcoming," Carter said at a Jerusalem press conference.

He added that if international law barred donor countries from directly funding a Hamas-led government than the US and the EU should bypass the Palestinian Authority and provide the "much-needed" money to the Palestinians via non-governmental channels such as UN agencies.

"Regardless of the government, I would hope that potential donors find alternative means to be generous to the Palestinian people if the donor decides to bypass the Palestinian government completely," Carter said, stressing that his main concern was to avert the "suffering" of the Palestinian people, which he said could lead to a new cycle of violence.

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Comment: Is President Carter preaching to the choir - or will the Saudis, and the Gulf States sit up and take notice?

[applegrove]

1. I agree. There needs to be a way to support the palestinian people

while not having any money siphoned off to suicide bombing belts on teenagers.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. To give the funding of Palestinian entrepreneurs credibility

it has to be entrepreneur to entrepreneur - the UN and the Arafat era PA have shown themselves to be as corrupt as Bushco's Washington (Halliburton, Abramoff, Big Oil)

I have a favorable feeling about Saudi Prince Talal and his "Kingdom Holdings" group. I also have a good feeling about some of the ethnic Arabs at Citigroup - and in Silicon Valley.

[applegrove]

3. There are Palestinians doing well all over the world. Would that

corruption and crap could be undone so it would not matter what the Israelis are up to - so that Palestine could truly be independant. Don't know about the group you mention. Except - certainly nobody experience of Arabs in North America - that goes back a few hundred years in reality - is negative. Same as any other founding group. Once they face less racism. Same as any other part of society.

[Violet_Crumble]

6. A question for you, applegrove...

'Would that corruption and crap could be undone so it would not matter what the Israelis are up to - so that Palestine could truly be independant.'

Are you saying that the reason why there isn't yet an independent and viable Palestine is because of the corruption within the PA? If it is, I strongly disagree, because what we'd have seen with a PA free of corruption (which, btw, would make them different from many other corruption-ridden govts round the world) is Israeli settlements, roadblocks, bypass roads, missile strikes, and all the other trappings of the occupation, but in a wholly corruption-free West Bank and Gaza...

Violet...

[RJnAbbysNana]

4. Are you suggesting that it should be just Arab to Arab?

Why can't the U.S. government simply stop funding Israel at the tune of $3-$4 billion annually and use a good portion of that money to aid the Palestinian people directly, side-stepping governments and their agendas, if necessary?

No! That wouldn't work, would it?! Shucky-darn!!!!! Can't say I didn't try!!!!!

Regards,

RJnAbbysNana

[sabbat hunter]

5. how about

recovering the billions Arafat stole while he was in charge and giving that to where it belonged in the first place.

dont see how taking money from israel and giving it to palestinians is an improvement. wouldnt that greatly hurt israel?

[Coastie for Truth]

7. I would suggest an EXCESS PROFITS TAX on big oil

They have raped the Arab proletariat as surely as the coal (steel, electric) companies have raped the working folks of my native Appalachia (including Tallmansville-Sago WV).

I think it is long past time for the energy exploiters of the Arab people - and the Appalachin people - to stand and deliver.

UMWA

[Coastie for Truth]

8. That's exactly what some want

dont see how taking money from israel and giving it to palestinians is an improvement. wouldnt that greatly hurt israel?

[Violet_Crumble]

10. And that's NOT what the poster was saying...

What she said was: 'Why can't the U.S. government simply stop funding Israel at the tune of $3-$4 billion annually and use a good portion of that money to aid the Palestinian people directly, side-stepping governments and their agendas, if necessary?'

Someone is going to have to explain to me how this is taking money from Israel, as the money isn't Israel's until it's given to it by the US...

Violet...

[RJnAbbysNana]

11. You took the words right out of my mouth, VC!

Furthermore, does Israel actually deserve the preferential treatment shown toward her by the U.S.? I honestly doubt that she does!

Again, I ask, "Why can't the U.S. divert some of the $3-$4 BILLION it throws into the Israeli coffers annually and use that money to help the Palestinian people directly, side-stepping governments and their agendas if necessary?"

Now, can someone answer my simple question?

Regards,

RJnAbbysNana

P.S. As VC said, it isn't Israel's money until/unless it's given to her by the U.S. to begin with.

[rfkrfk]

9. if US states want to give, thats OK, feds --> stay out n/t